Swinging scaffold.



JOHN G. BARTELL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SWINGING SCAFFOLID Application filed February 13, 1915.

o all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN G. BARTELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in Swinging Scaifolds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in swinging scaffolds. i

The common form of adjustable scaffold includes a platform suspended from outriggers by cables arranged at intervals along the length of said platform and a plurality of independently operated winding drums or other devices, mounted above the platform and attached severally to the cables. In elevating such scaffolds a strong operator is required at each drum. Said drums obstruct the laborers in their work upon said scaffold and are unprotected against accidental blows, such as those delivered by workmen or falling objects.

It is the object of my invention to provide a simple and durable scaffold, consisting of a working platform resting upon a series of supports, each support being carried by a pair of, cables and having improved operating mechanism easily manipulated by a single attendant to raise 'orlower the scaffold on its supporting cables.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind constructed with the operating mechanism thereof beneath the working platform to permit unobstructed access to the work from said platform and to guard said mechanism against njury from above.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elev'ation of my improved scaffold; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view in detail taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and illustratosone of the platform supports, and Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectional view in detail taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the-reference letter A to indicate the supporting cables; B the platform, and C the adjustable supports on which said platform rests.

The cables A are suspended in pairs from out-riggers upon a building, each pair being attached to a support C, which is carried thereby in horizontal position with the inner end of said, support adjacent to the wall of the building in course of erection. The pla'tfhrm B is built of boards or planks and are of a length to overlapthree Specification of Letters Pateil't.

chine one tep. countcrshaft 18 engages one of the ratchet Patented May 16, 1916.

Serial No. 7,947.

shaft is furnished with a large driving gear 16 and with two ratchet wheels 17, the teeth of one ratchet wheel resting in staggered relation with respect to the teeth of the other ratchet wheel. A countershaft 18, revolubly mounted in two of the brackets-11 is provided with a toothed wheel 19, meshing with the driving gear 16, and with a ratchet wheel 20. A. bifurcated arm 21 pivoted on said countershaft straddles the ratchet Wheel 20 and carries a dog 22, which engages said ratchet wheel. by its own weight. A lever 23, detachably secured to the arm 21, extends above the platform at the outer edge thereof, and is employed to rock said arm. Duriing one stroke of the arm 21 the dog 22 enl, gages the ratchet wheel 20 and operated.

through said ratchet wheel, countershaft 18,:

gears 19 and 16 and drum shaft 12 to turn the drums 13 and wind upon each. of said drums a length of cable, thus lifting the mal k dog 24 pivoted on the wheels 17 and a second dog 25 pivoted on one of the beams 10 engages the other ratchet wheel 17. Said dogs alternately engage said ratehets by their own weight and provide safety devices to secure the drums against backward rotation, and thereby prevent the support and scaffold supported thereon from falling. A post socket 26 secured. to the inner side of the outer hanger 11 is adapted to receive a post 27, to which fence wires 28 and side rails 29 may be attached.

To protect the arm 21 when a machine is handled in shipment, I attach a guard 30 upon one of the beams 10. Said guard receives the end of the arm 21 when tilted to position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and other structure. Each pair of cables is attached to a support by securing the free end of one cable to one drum and the free end of the other cable to the other drum. The platform B is laid upon the beams 10 of the supports. Posts 27 are erected in the post sockets 26 and guard rails 29, wires 28 or the like secured thereto. The levers 23 are manipulated. to turn the drums 13 and raise the scali'old.

It will be noted that the operation of a single lever turns both of the winding drums on each support; that the power transmitting mechanism between the lever 23 and drum shaft 12 provides for easily elevating a section of the scaffold; that the operating mechanism occupies none of the Working space upon the scaifold, and that said meclr anism is protected against injur and accidental displacement' by the scaffolding.

It is obvious that independent drum shafts and operating devices for each drum may be provided Without departing from the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the class described, the combination with a plurality of out-riggers and a pair of cables suspended from each out-rigger, of an adjustable support for each pair of cables, each support comprising a pair of spaced platform carrying beams, hangers joining said beams, a drum shaft revoluble in said hangers below said beams, a pair of drums on said shaft, said cables passing between said beams and Wound, one on each drum, means to turn said drum shaft and a platform comprising a pluralit of abutting sections, the adjacent ends of said sections resting upon separate carrying beams of a support. I

In testimony whereof, I have name to this specification in the two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN G. BARTELL.

signed my presence of Witnesses:

F. C. CASWELL, J. E. STRYKER. 

